Daily Current Affairs- 11th January 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 11th January 2026

Justice Revati Mohite Dere Becomes Meghalaya’s First Woman Chief Justice

In the News: Justice Revati Mohite Dere was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya, becoming the second woman to head the court since its formation in 2013. Meghalaya Governor C.H. Vijayashankar administered the oath of office at a ceremony held at the Durbar Hall of Lok Bhavan, Shillong.

Key Points:

• Supreme Court Collegium Recommendation: The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice Suren Kant, recommended the appointment of Justice Revati P. Mohite Dere as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court on December 18, 2025. She formally took oath on January 10, 2026, assuming charge of the court which has a sanctioned strength of just four judges, making it one of India's smaller High Courts compared to the Bombay High Court where she previously served.
• Historic Appointment - Second Woman Chief Justice: Justice Dere becomes the second woman Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court since its formation in 2013. The first woman Chief Justice was Justice T. Meena Kumari.
• Judicial Career at Bombay High Court: Justice Dere was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013, and was elevated as a permanent Judge on March 2, 2016. During her over 12 years of service at the Bombay High Court, she became the second senior-most judge and was part of several important benches.
• Notable Judgments and Judicial Philosophy: She is known for her work on cases ranging from Haji Ali and Shakti Mills to queer rights and police accountability.

Rajnath Singh to commission new coast guard ship

In the News: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra Pratap, India's first indigenously designed and built Pollution Control Vessel, at Goa Shipyard Limited in Goa.

Key Points:

• Indigenous Design and Construction: ICGS Samudra Pratap is India's first indigenously designed and built hybrid, sea-going pollution control vessel, marking the first time pollution-control ships of this class have been designed and constructed entirely in India. Built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a premier defence public sector undertaking, the vessel incorporates over 60% indigenous content.
• Technical Specifications: Named "Majesty of the Seas," Samudra Pratap displaces 4,170 tonnes (reported as 4,200 tons in some sources), measures 114.5 metres in length with a beam of 16.5 metres, and can achieve speeds exceeding 22 knots.
• Advanced Systems and Capabilities: The vessel is equipped with advanced pollution detection systems, dedicated pollution response boats with oil spill recovery capabilities, and modern firefighting equipment. The ship also features a helicopter hangar and aviation support facilities, significantly increasing its operational reach and effectiveness.
• Armament and Security Features: ICGS Samudra Pratap is armed with a 30 mm CRN-91 gun and two 12.7 mm stabilised remote-controlled guns, enabling it to perform maritime security and law enforcement operations alongside its primary pollution control mission.
• Project Background and Contract: Goa Shipyard Limited was constructing two pollution control vessels for the Indian Coast Guard under a Rs 583 crore contract signed on June 22, 2021. ICGS Samudra Pratap is the first of these two vessels, with the second ship currently under construction.
• Operational Base and Deployment: The ship will be based at Kochi under the operational control of the Coast Guard Region (West). Its extended endurance and advanced capabilities make it ideal for long-duration missions in both territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Italy Honours Shrinivas Dempo with Prestigious Civilian Award

In the News: Noted Goan industrialist and philanthropist Shrinivas Dempo was honored with the 'Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia' – 'Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy' – one of the highest civilian awards of the Republic of Italy. The prestigious honor was conferred by Walter Ferrara, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai, at a special investiture ceremony held in Panaji, Goa. since 2013.

Key Points:

• The Prestigious Award: The 'Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia' (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy) is one of Italy's highest civilian honors. The Order of the Star of Italy was reformed in 2011 from the 1947 Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by Italy's 11th President, Giorgio Napolitano.
• Investiture Ceremony Details: The special investiture ceremony was held in Panaji, Goa, and attended by distinguished dignitaries including Consul General Walter Ferrara and his wife Olga Ferrara; Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shripad Naik; Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Sadanand Tanawade; Minister for Public Works, Digambar Kamat
• Honorary Vice Consul Position: Shrinivas Dempo has served as the Honorary Vice Consul of Italy in Goa, India, since 2013. In this capacity, he has been instrumental in handling sensitive cases involving Italian citizens residing in or passing through Goa, facilitating consular services, and promoting cultural and economic exchanges between Italy and Goa.
• Professional Associations: Dempo's illustrious career includes serving as immediate Past President of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), continuing a three-generation family legacy with the chamber. Additionally, Dempo has served as Chairman of the Western Region of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and President of the All India Management Association (AIMA).

Operation Hawkeye Strike Targets ISIS Across Syria

In the News: The United States launched Operation Hawkeye Strike, a large-scale retaliatory military action against Islamic State (ISIS) targets across Syria, in direct response to a deadly ambush in Palmyra on December 13, 2025, that killed two Iowa National Guard soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter. The operation, named to honor the fallen soldiers from the "Hawkeye State" of Iowa, involved coordinated airstrikes utilizing over 100 precision-guided munitions against more than 70 ISIS targets across central and eastern Syria.

Key Points:

• December 2025 Palmyra Attack: On December 13, 2025, a Syrian police officer suspected of being affiliated with ISIS carried out an ambush attack against U.S. and Syrian forces conducting a key leader engagement in Palmyra, Syria. This marked the first U.S. military combat deaths in Syria since 2019 and the first casualties since the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024.
• Initial Strike - December 19, 2025: Six days after the ambush, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched Operation Hawkeye Strike on December 19, 2025, at approximately 12:30 PM Eastern Time. The strikes targeted ISIS infrastructure in the Jabal al-Amour area near Palmyra in Homs province, Ma'adan desert in rural Raqqa, and al-Hammad desert in Deir ez-Zor province.
• January 10, 2026 Follow-Up Strikes: According to a U.S. official, this second phase of strikes involved over 90 precision munitions hitting more than 35 targets using over two dozen aircraft.
• Syrian Government Coordination: President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government, which joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in November 2025, committed to intensified anti-ISIS efforts through joint operations and intelligence sharing with U.S. forces. Syria praised the strikes for targeting "the hideouts of the ISIS terrorist organization" and preventing the group from regrouping.
• ISIS Strength Assessment: According to the latest U.S. intelligence estimates, between 1,500 and 3,000 ISIS militants remain operational across Syria and Iraq, with some analysts suggesting the numbers could be as high as 5,000 to 7,000 fighters.

Nalini Joshi Named New South Wales Scientist of the Year

In the News: Professor Nalini Joshi AO from the University of Sydney was recognized as the New South Wales Scientist of the Year in the 2025 Premier's Prizes for Science and Engineering at Government House in Sydney. Professor Joshi made history by becoming the first mathematician to receive NSW's highest honor for scientific endeavor since the award's inception.

Key Points:

• Historic Recognition: Professor Nalini Joshi AO became the first mathematician to win the NSW Scientist of the Year award in its history, marking a significant milestone for mathematical sciences in Australia. The award, part of the NSW Premier's Prizes for Science and Engineering, recognized her as one of 10 exceptional researchers, innovators, and educators honored at the prestigious ceremony.
• Transformational Mathematical Research: Professor Joshi's groundbreaking work focuses on integrable systems, particularly the Painlevé equations and their applications. Her transformational mathematical approaches have been applied to reveal real-world phenomena, including how light signals travel in optical fibers and the formation of large, unpredictable surface waves called rogue waves in deep water.
• Quantum Cryptography Leadership: In January 2026, she was announced as director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Mathematics for Quantum Era Security and Trust (MathQuEST), which secured $35 million in federal funding to address the breakdown of existing cybersecurity systems in the age of quantum computing.
• Previous Honors and Awards: In 2015, she was named the 150th Anniversary Hardy Lecturer by the London Mathematical Society. She received the Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentorship of Young Researchers in 2018, was awarded the George Szekeres Medal from the Australian Mathematical Society in 2020, and received the 2021 ANZIAM Medal for "unparalleled contributions to applied mathematics in leadership, gender equity, and promotion of mathematics."
• Officer of the Order of Australia: In the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours, Professor Joshi was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to mathematical science and tertiary education.

Monroe Doctrine reloaded

In the News: U.S. President Donald Trump formally announced the revival of the Monroe Doctrine through what he termed the "Trump Corollary," articulated in the National Security Strategy 2025 released by the White House. The doctrine asserts that "the American people—not foreign nations nor globalist institutions—will always control their own destiny in our hemisphere." On January 3, 2026, this policy was dramatically implemented when U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Operation Absolute Resolve.

Key Points:

• Historical Monroe Doctrine Context: The original Monroe Doctrine was proclaimed by President James Monroe on December 2, 1823, warning European powers against further colonization or interference in the Western Hemisphere. The policy asserted that the region was no longer open to Old World ambitions and would be regarded as a sphere of U.S. interest.
• "Donroe Doctrine" Terminology: During a January 3, 2026 press conference at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump coined the term "Donroe Doctrine" (combining "Donald" and "Monroe"), claiming his administration has "superseded" the 1823 doctrine.
• Operation Absolute Resolve Details: The U.S. military operation to capture Maduro began at 10:46 PM ET on January 2, 2026, when Trump gave the final authorization. At approximately 1:01 AM local time on January 3, joint CIA operatives and special operations forces arrived at Maduro's compound in Caracas. By 3:29 AM, Maduro and his wife were aboard a U.S. aircraft.
• China's Economic Dominance Challenge: China is now the leading trade partner of every country in South America except Colombia, where it ranks second to the U.S. China's December 2025 Policy Paper explicitly designated Latin America as central to Belt and Road expansion and the Global Development Initiative, prioritizing infrastructure development, manufacturing cooperation, and technology transfer.
• U.S. Role in Venezuela's Future: Trump emphasized U.S. leadership in rebuilding Venezuela with particular focus on the oil sector. Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president on January 5, 2026, by the country's National Assembly.

India loses 0.4% of its GDP every year to natural disasters

In the News: India faces significant economic losses from natural disasters, with various studies reporting GDP losses ranging from 0.28% to 2% annually. According to Munich Re's latest analysis covering 2020-2025, India loses approximately 0.28% of its Gross National Income (GNI) to weather-related disasters, amounting to an average of $9 billion (approximately ₹75,000 crore) per year.

Key Points:

• Economic Impact Assessment: Between 2020 and 2025, India's average annual losses from natural disasters stood at $9 billion (0.28% of GNI), placing it third among the world's ten largest economies in terms of disaster losses relative to national income, after the United States (0.54%) and Germany (0.29%).
• Historical GDP Loss Data: Research on flood impacts between 1990 and 2023, India lost about $79.5 billion economically due to natural disasters, according to the 2023 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction by the United Nations.
• Floods as Primary Economic Burden: Floods are recorded as the costliest disaster in India, accounting for 68% (or 63% in some estimates) of total economic losses from all natural disasters, followed by cyclones (16%), earthquakes (10%), droughts (4%), heat waves (0.8%), cold waves (0.29%), and landslides (0.11%). Floods alone impact approximately 6% of India's rural population annually, making them the most economically devastating natural calamity facing the nation.
• Geographic Vulnerability: India's geographical diversity makes it exceptionally prone to multiple types of natural disasters. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), approximately 58.6% of India's landmass is vulnerable to earthquakes of varying intensities, 12% of land area is prone to floods and river erosion, and 8% is susceptible to cyclones..
• Disaster Management Framework: India has established comprehensive disaster management structures including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) to address disaster preparedness and response. The National Policy on Disaster Management (NPDM) 2009 advocates a holistic approach covering preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, with emphasis on community participation and capacity building.

ISRO to launch EOS-N1

In the News: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C62 mission carrying the advanced Earth observation satellite EOS-N1 (Anvesha) at 10:18:30 AM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This marked ISRO's first launch of 2026 and the 64th flight of India's workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The mission, conducted by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).

Key Points:

• Mission Overview: The PSLV-C62 mission lifted off from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, marking India's first space launch of 2026. The 260-tonne rocket used the PSLV-DL variant configuration with two solid strap-on boosters. This is the 9th dedicated commercial mission undertaken by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm.
• Primary Payload - EOS-N1 (Anvesha): The primary satellite EOS-N1, codenamed "Anvesha," is a hyperspectral imaging satellite weighing approximately 400 kg, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The satellite operates at 600 km altitude in sun-synchronous polar orbit with a spatial resolution of 12 metres.
• Strategic Defence Applications: EOS-N1 significantly enhances India's space-based surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. It provides round-the-clock monitoring of India's borders with Pakistan and China, particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, without risking soldiers' lives.
• Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID): A unique payload on this mission is the 25 kg Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) capsule developed by Spanish startup Orbital Paradigm. This spherical capsule is designed to test controlled re-entry technology and will splash down in the South Pacific Ocean after the PSLV's fourth stage performs a de-boost maneuver.
• Return to Flight Mission: This launch represents a critical comeback for ISRO after the PSLV-C61 mission experienced a partial failure in May 2025, when a technical anomaly in the rocket's third stage prevented the EOS-09 satellite from reaching its intended orbit.